PRTC SC Connection

BROADBAND:

HELPING YOU LEARN

CONNECTION MARCH/APRIL 2020

ON THE WILD SIDE Walterboro Mayor Bill Young showcases the new Walterboro Wildlife Center

AHEAD OF THE GAME Students benefit from after-school program

UNLIMITED LEARNING Broadband creates education opportunities

INDUSTRY NEWS

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Rural Connections

A count that matters

By SHIRLEY BLOOMFIELD, CEO NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association

Let’s ‘build once’ under RDOF

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s an organization representing rural broadband providers, we are excited about the FCC’s plans to invest $20.4 billion to bring affordable highspeed broadband to rural Americans. While the agency’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) is a terrific opportunity for unserved and underserved communities, it is important that as a nation we are investing in networks that can meet broadband needs for the foreseeable future.

Services delivered in high-cost rural areas using RDOF funds should be reasonably comparable to those in urban areas — both now and over at least the term of support distribution, if not longer. We believe it is far more efficient to have policies that encourage providers to “build once,” deploying rural networks that are scalable and will offer services at speeds that are still relevant to customers another decade from now.

NTCA was one of the biggest and earliest supporters of a program that will promote sustainable networks capable of delivering the best possible broadband access for many years to come. After months of advocacy by our members and staff, including securing bipartisan letters signed by dozens of members of Congress, the FCC announced in January that it will consider rules to fund sustainable and forward-looking networks.

This will help strike a terrific balance by looking to reach as many rural Americans as possible while ensuring that the FCC is funding the best possible networks for the available budget. I am energized by the role that NTCA members can play in being a key part of the solution in bridging the digital divide. 

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H UNDERSTANDING THE CENSUS H

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nce a decade, the United States counts its citizens. This results in a treasure trove of data relevant to politics, businesses, schools and much more.

For example, federal agencies use census results to distribute more than $675 billion in federal funds annually.

Similarly, states use census data to draw congressional district boundaries. The numbers can even determine how many congressional representatives a state sends to Washington, D.C. Locally, many counties, cities and towns lean on census statistics when planning infrastructure such as roads, schools and emergency services. Businesses also factor census data into calculations that determine the locations of new stores, hotels and more.

As you can see, the census is an important program and one in which you’ll be asked to participate. For the first time, everyone can complete the census online, as well as by phone or by mail. You will still receive a census form by mail, but you will have the option of visiting respond.census.gov/acs to complete your duty to respond to the census.

Census Day is April 1, and census takers will visit households that have not already replied to census questionnaires online, by phone or through the mail. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau hired thousands of temporary workers to help implement the 2020 census.

The bureau also understands the unique challenges of counting people in rural areas. Some rural homes do not have typical mailing addresses, using instead post office boxes in nearby community centers. However, census questionnaires are not mailed to P.O. boxes. In these remote areas, census takers will deliver paper questionnaires to each home and offer guidance on how to respond by phone or online.

If there’s no response, expect an in-person follow-up.

By law, the Census Bureau must keep your information confidential, using the details to produce statistics. The bureau may not publicly release responses in any way that might identify an individual. 

Maybe it’s not so smart?

Streaming boxes can add a layer of TV security Story by NOBLE SPRAYBERRY

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s your TV watching you? Could it be a backdoor to your private information?

Those are questions recently posed by the FBI. For people who rely on a smart TV, the answer might be, “Yes.” A smart TV can connect directly to the internet, allowing access to services and applications that provide movies, TV shows, music, videoconferencing, photo streaming and more. It’s all right there in one consolidated interface.

But convenience comes with tradeoff. Some smart TVs include microphones and cameras. These features allow voice commands and the potential of using facial recognition to customize content to an individual viewer.

Those innovations, however, raise the possibility of TV manufacturers eavesdropping. Similarly, an unsecured TV has the potential to be used by a hacker as a backdoor into your other Wi-Fi-connected devices.

The FBI suggests a range of strategies to ensure a TV protects your security. Do internet research on your specific TV model to check the status of updates and reports of security breaches.

Also, if possible, change passwords. Then, learn how to turn off microphones, cameras and the ability of the TV manufacturer to collect personal information. Even placing tape over the camera lens is an option.

There’s another strategy, too — do not directly connect your TV to the internet. Instead, consider a third-party device to create a bridge between your television and streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu and more. 

HERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS TO CONSIDER:

Roku: Many devices that allow TVs to connect to online streaming services are sold by companies that also offer TV content. As a result, not all services are available on every device. If that’s a concern, consider a Roku, which can generally connect to all content providers.

Rokus typically range in price from $30 to $99.

Apple TV: Prices for an Apple TV device range from $149 to $199, with the more expensive options having more storage capacity and the ability to play 4K video.

The device will connect to most streaming services, and currently the purchase of a new Apple TV comes with a one-year subscription to the Apple TV+ streaming service.

Amazon Fire TV Cube or Fire Stick: Amazon’s Fire streaming devices cost from about $30 to nearly $200, based on capacity and the ability to offer 4K content. Look for frequent sales to find a bargain. The interface is clean and useful. Fans of Amazon Prime can have easy access to that service’s streaming options. While most streaming services may be available, that has changed from time to time.

Google Chromecast: Google offers its twist on the streaming boxes with a small, hockey-puck-shaped device that allows content to be “cast” from a computer, tablet or phone to the television.

Most streaming services are supported, and viewers with a Google Home smart speaker can control programming with voice commands.

March/April 2020 | 3

FROM THE CEO

The 2020 census matters for rural America

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4 | March/April 2020

MARCH/APRIL 2020

VOL. 10, NO. 2

PRTC Connection is a bimonthly newsletter published by PRTC, © 2020. It is distributed without charge to all member/owners of the cooperative.

ow important is the 2020 census? For rural areas like ours, $675 billion is at stake.

In mid-March the U.S. Census Bureau will send postcards to most addresses in South Carolina and across the country. That is one of the more important pieces of mail you will receive in 2020. Why does the census matter to your broadband and telephone provider, JASON DANDRIDGE and why am I using this space to encourage you to participate?

Chief Executive Officer Simply put, our part of South Carolina has a lot to gain from accurate census numbers — and a lot to lose if we aren’t all counted.

These risks and benefits come in three main areas dependent on census data: government funding, political representation and statistics for economic growth.

According to the Census Bureau, census data determines the spending of more than $675 billion in federal funds. That can mean anything from schools, roads and equipment for first responders to grants for expanding our broadband network or programs that help those in need.

Many of those projects seek to do the most good for the most people — and if we don’t help to create an accurate count of all of our people, that funding may go elsewhere.

As you may have heard if you follow political news, the census data is used to draw and redraw districts for state and federal Simply put, our lawmakers. The number of congressmen and congresswomen we part of South Carolina have representing South Carolina is dependent on our populahas a lot to gain from tion. If we don’t count all of our state’s residents, we would accurate census show a lower population and run the risk of losing representation in Congress to a bigger state that may have different interests numbers — and a lot to lose if we aren’t all than ours.

The same thing is true on a more local level in the state legiscounted.” lature. If the counties in our region come up short on the population count, we could lose a legislator and have a more difficult time making our area’s concerns heard in Columbia.

Lastly, our area’s population is a key factor in almost all of the statistics businesses look at when considering a market to build. Whether it’s a fast-food restaurant or an industrial plant, corporate managers are looking at our population when it comes to customer base, workforce and market potential. Showing a lower population on the census because many people weren’t counted would make us less appealing for businesses to locate here.

If you want to know more, visit census.gov.

I know everyone is busy, and that little postcard later this month may seem like just adding one more thing to your to-do list. But from what I’ve read, the Census Bureau is making things simple, quick and easy for everyone to be counted.

As someone who cares deeply about our rural area, I hope you’ll take those few minutes of time to make sure you and your family participate in the census.

Our communities are counting on you. 

“

CONNECTION

is a member-owned cooperative providing a complete telecommunications solution (internet, video, voice, wireless and security) to the homes and businesses in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Send address corrections to: PRTC P.O. Drawer 1577 Walterboro, SC 29488 Telephone: 843-538-2020 prtc.us

For information about the content included in PRTC Connection, please contact Marketing Coordinator Michelle Strickland at 843-538-9330.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS District 1 - Brian Ackerman District 2 - Cynthia “Cindy” Colson District 3 - Lynn Tanner District 4 - Michael Crosby District 5 - Gloria Warren District 6 - Travis Avant District 7 - Heath Griffith

Produced for PRTC by:

On the Cover: Walterboro Mayor Bill Young helped guide the opening of the Walterboro Wildlife Center, a showcase for the city.

See story Page 8.

PRTC NEWS

FIBER UPDATE

VIDEO ON DEMAND

ST. GEORGE Fiber construction continues in St. George! PRTC has constructed over 55 miles of fiber and invested millions of dollars, which will allow service to all addresses within the St. George town limits and the Winding Woods area.

PRTC appreciates the interest, excitement and cooperation of the residents of St. George and looks forward to a long-term relationship.

Want fiber in your neighborhood?

Sign up today to show your interest at prtcfiber.us

COLLETON COUNTY PRTC completed fiber construction in the Canadys area and is working in the Pleasant Grove area. The Pleasant Grove project is expected to be finished by June. PRTC plans on starting the Williams fiber project in March, which will be under construction throughout the remainder of 2020.

WALTERBORO Construction is expected to begin in the Forrest Hills area in April, which is the start of an 18-month long project to provide fiber service to every household in the city of Walterboro. The project is another multi-million dollar investment in the region, providing a future-proof network to this heavily residential area.

PRTC

Ford v Ferrari

Visionary car designer Carroll Shelby and fearless driver Ken Miles take on the race cars of Enzo Ferrari.

Starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Kindness triumphs over cynicism in the real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. Starring Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys.

World Grits Festival St. George has celebrated the World Grits Festival since 1986.

For a small fee, PRTC’s Video on Demand service gives you access to new releases as early as eight weeks before Netflix or Redbox. To access Video on Demand, press the “VOD” or “On Demand” button on your remote or press the “Menu” button and look for “On Demand.”

Doctor Sleep

A Lowcountry tradition since 1975.

April 17-19, 2020 in St. George

April 24-25, 2020 in Walterboro

The festival features activities events centered around the southern Lowcountry favorite. PRTC is a proud sponsor of the World Grits Festival.

The festival features arts and crafts, food, fireworks, music and other entertainment. PRTC is a proud sponsor of the Colleton County Rice Festival.

Visit worldgritsfestival.com.

Visit ricefestival.org.

Years after the events of “The Shining,” Dan Torrance must protect a teen with similar powers.

Starring Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson.

Don’t miss these other releases coming soon to Video on Demand: • 21 Bridges • Charlie’s Angels (2019) • Dark Waters • Harriet

• Jojo Rabbit • Frozen II • Midway • Uncut Gems

March/April 2020 | 5

TRAVEL

A biblical journey A museum explores the story of Noah

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Story by ANNE BRALY

he heavens opened, and the rains came down — not in biblical proportions as they did in Noah’s day, but could there have been a better backdrop for a recent visit to the Ark Encounter?

This religious attraction in Kentucky opened just over three years ago on an 800-acre site. At a cost of $100 million for Phase I, its primary feature is the massive ark, taller than a four-story building and built to the specifications God laid out for Noah. In keeping with measurements in the book of Genesis, converted from the Hebrew cubits specified in chapter 6, the three-deck ark is 510 feet long, 85 feet wide and 51 feet high.

Sitting in a beautifully landscaped area

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just off Interstate 75 in the small town of Williamstown, Kentucky, the Ark Encounter draws more than 1 million visitors annually from around the world who come to learn more about Noah and his family, the animals aboard ship and the ancient flood that most Christians believe engulfed the earth. Ticket booths are located at the 4,000-spot parking lot, which has plenty of room for group buses, and guests take the free shuttle service from the lot to the ark grounds.

In addition to the ark, the attraction offers a zip line and the Ararat Ridge Zoo. And you won’t walk away hungry — a tremendous buffet replete with Asian, Cajun and American fare will satisfy your hunger, and there is seating for 1,500.

THE SHIP It took Noah 50 to 75 years to build his ark. It took a team of Amish builders and others just two years to build Kentucky’s

new ark, a project that was the dream of Australian Ken Ham, founder and CEO of the Answers in Genesis ministry, the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum in nearby Petersburg, Kentucky.

Patrick Kanewske, director of ministry and media relations for the Ark Encounter, says much of the ship matches accounts in Genesis, but “ark”-tistic license — imagination — fills in the blanks. Such license includes names of the women/wives onboard, the color of their skin, the placement of rooms and animal cages, and so on.

Look up from the first deck to the top of the ship, and it’s easy to see the scope of the Ark Encounter. Sixty-two trees, mostly Douglas firs from Utah that were standing dead timber, went into the frame structure. Throughout each deck are divided rooms, each with a different theme and exhibits — some interactive — telling stories of the ark, the flood and

Photos courtesy of the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum.

If you go...

WHAT: Ark Encounter WHERE: 1 Ark Encounter Drive, Williamstown, Kentucky HOURS: Times vary by season, so please check the website TICKETS: $48 for adults 18-59, $38 for seniors 60 and up, $25 for youth 11-17, $15 for children 5-10 and free for children 4 and under PARKING: $10 for standard vehicles, $15 for oversized vehicles INFORMATION: arkencounter.com

why it happened; what life was like before and after the flood; and the Christian belief that God created Earth in just six days. Movies on the second and third decks depict life then and now.

Plan on spending a good half-day at the Ark Encounter to experience all it has to offer. And when your day is through, Kanewske hopes people will walk away with the truth of God’s word and the gospel. “We proclaim that here,” he says.

“That’s the bottom line. People will learn a lot about the flood account, Noah and his family and all that, but what we want them to take away is God’s word.”

ALL ABOARD How, one may wonder, did all of the animals fit on the ship? First — according to “Ark Signs That Teach a Flood of Answers,” a book that you can pick up in the Ark Encounter gift shop — you need to consider the term “animal kind,”

referring to a group of animals not related to any other animals. So at the most, Noah, who God only charged with bringing air-breathing animals on board, was responsible for fewer than 6,744 animals to house, feed and clean. “When you see the size of the ship, there’s every possibility that 6,000 to 7,000 animals could fit in a ship of its size without any problem,” Kanewske says.

Cages large and small line the walls and center of the lowest deck. Once again, ark-tistic license is used to show how Noah and his team might feed the animals and store grain. For a realistic experience, live animals come from the zoo onto the ship each day.

Jose Jimenez, a Naval chaplain from Rhode Island, recently brought his young family to experience the Ark Encounter.

“It’s a great place for kids,” he says. “And it’s good for people who have questions.

It doesn’t answer all of them, but a lot.”

ARK ENCOUNTER PHASE II Plans are in the works for major expansion of the Ark Encounter, and some of those plans have already been realized.

April 2019 brought the opening of The Answers Center, with a snack bar, a gift shop and a 2,500-seat auditorium that hosts daily presentations, movies, special speakers, concerts and more.

A new playground has also opened and is designed to accommodate children of all abilities. And the summer of 2019 saw the opening of the zoo expansion, including the addition of more animals — lemurs, sloths, peccaries and a bearcat — and stages for zookeeper talks.

“We take things seriously here,” Kanewske says, “from our food to exhibits to how our employees are trained. It’s a world-class experience.” 

March/April 2020 | 7

BROADBAND BROADBAND: :

An aerial view of the Walterboro Wildlife Center’s amphitheater and events venue.

HELPING HELPINGYOU YOULEARN THRIVE

The Lowcountry’s masterpiece

Walterboro Wildlife Center combines nature and events venue

Story by LISA SAVAGE

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or years, visitors have ridden bicycles and taken a leisurely stroll or a brisk walk along the boardwalks of the Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary, enjoying the thick canopy of hardwoods and the creeks that flow into the forest. It’s a glimpse into some of the area’s rich natural habitat while keeping a safe distance from the wildlife.

Today, after years of planning, an interpretive exhibition hall near the sanctuary’s entrance ties it all together. Visitors will learn about the important role of the Ace Basin, the largest undeveloped natural estuary on the East Coast. Consisting of the Asheepoo, Combahee, and Edisto rivers, it spans more than 350,000 acres. The Walterboro Wildlife Center, a longtime dream of Walterboro City Council and the Friends of the Great Swamp Sanctuary, is complete and fits just right with the rapidly changing landscape of Walterboro and Colleton County.

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“We couldn’t have timed it better if we tried,” says Walterboro Mayor Bill Young.

“I feel like now that people see it, it does have the wow factor we had hoped for.”

Although the Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary is a longtime part of the Walterboro landscape, opening to the public in the early 2000s, city officials dreamed of connecting the park to an interpretive center to better share the story of the area through educational exhibits, artifacts and meeting space.

In the initial phase, the city council wanted to find a theme or focus. “We decided we wanted to focus on the natural habitat that makes our area special,” Young says.

Through donations of land and purchases, the city acquired about 600 acres to establish the Great Swamp Sanctuary, now called the Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary.

“The sanctuary itself is a living example of the uniqueness of our region,” Young says.

Walterboro Mayor Bill Young at the city’s new events center.

In 2013, the city bought the old Glover Motors building, locating the wildlife center in the heart of the city’s business district. “It not only gave us an opportunity to rehab a derelict old building, but it connects the natural beauty of our area with the heart of our city,” Young says.

The city broke ground in 2017 and officially opened the Walterboro Wildlife Center this January.

PRTC

Friends of the Great Swamp Sanctuary and the City of Walterboro cut the ribbon on the events center in January. From left, FROGS committee member Bob Tiegs, City Council members Carl Brown, Judy Bridge, Paul Siegel; Mayor Bill Young; City Council members James Broderick, Greg Pryor, Ladson Fishburne; and FROGS committee chairperson Moultrie Plowden.

Isabel Amundson got a closer look during a reptile presentation during the Walterboro Wildlife Center grand opening in January.

THE INTERPRETIVE CENTER The multiuse building serves as the sanctuary’s interpretive center, and there are miles of boardwalks over the swamp, a beaver pond, a butterfly area and all kinds of wildlife like deer, turkey, squirrels, turtles, snakes and even some alligators.

With more than four miles of hiking and biking trails, the sanctuary is located just a block away from the center.

The 7,000-square-foot center is an ideal meeting space for groups of 400-500 people, with decks and an event lawn. The event room will accommodate 150-160 people seated at tables for a meal. Live exhibits of wildlife provide a closer look at the sanctuary’s inhabitants. There are displays and interactive videos, all aimed at educating the public about the environmental significance of the sanctuary.

The center can host school field trips, educational seminars, traveling exhibits and more. The conference and event space works perfectly for weddings, concerts and banquets and also includes many hightech features, Young says.

A 200-inch projection screen, security system, computer and Wi-Fi connections from PRTC help accommodate almost any meeting or conference needs. “The Walterboro Wildlife Center will suit the needs of many organizations, individuals and tourists who live in the Lowcountry or come to visit,” Young says.

The facility design also includes a covered, wraparound porch for outdoor use and bathrooms visitors can access from PRTC

the outdoors. The property’s swamp bluff naturally drops 30 feet, making it ideal for an amphitheater on the hillside that can accommodate almost a thousand people when utilized to its highest capacity.

THE COST There was assistance for almost half the cost of the $2 million facility, Young says.

When planning for the wildlife center, the city first obtained a $300,000 appropriation from U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn to purchase the building and additional land.

They received various other grants and appropriations for a total of $625,000.

A big part of the project included providing an educational component for science teachers and children in the area.

“When we were first planning this, the

statistics showed we had 80,000 schoolchildren within a 40-mile radius,” Young says. “So, we wanted to provide a place where they could learn about our natural habitat and this part of the country we live in. We wanted to encourage children to get outside and enjoy the nature-based activities.”

Dr. Eran Kilpatrick, a biology professor at the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie, has used the swamp as a hands-on teaching opportunity for college students for years.

Now, the center makes it possible for all ages to benefit from the educational opportunities the area’s rich natural habitat provides.

“Before, it was not feasible for a large elementary group to visit,” Kilpatrick says. “Now, this is ideal for younger ages.”

Now that the Walterboro Wildlife Center is open, it attracts visitors from across the region.

“This was in the conceptual phases for many years, so we wanted it to be right,” says Hank Amundson, assistant city manager. “The building provides a beautiful venue for meetings and educational purposes, but 100 yards away, we feature the real centerpiece with the Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary. We’ve brought it all together, and the building and the amphitheater are the bookends that tie it all together.” 

The Walterboro Wildlife Center is located at 100 S. Jefferies Blvd.

For more information, visit the city’s website at walterborosc.org or call Walterboro Tourism Director Christan Spires at 843-538-4353.

March/April 2020 | 9

BROADBAND: HELPING YOU LEARN

A class of their own Broadband brings education to students on their schedule Story by DREW WOOLLEY

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n 2012, Aziza Zemrani was busily putting together an accelerated online program for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The curriculum would allow students to complete courses they need in just seven weeks from anywhere in the valley or beyond. But there was a lingering concern about handling presentations using the available online technology.

“I needed them to present so I could see their skills and competency in communication,” Zemrani says. “We use Blackboard Collaborate, which allows for face-to-face engagement and interaction. But my colleagues were worried about how it would work if we had a student with a disability.”

As if in answer to those concerns, the program’s first cohort group in 2013 included one deaf student, Phillip Robinson. When it came time for each student to present that June, the university’s Center for Online Learning and Teaching Technology worked with the disability office to arrange for a sign language interpreter to present with him.

“He presented live with his classmate, and it was beautiful,” Zemrani says. “He was almost in tears telling me this was the first time he was able to present live like that in an academic setting.”

Robinson graduated in December, joining hundreds of other students who have

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come through the accelerated online program of the university in Edinburg, Texas. While Zemrani originally expected the program to appeal primarily to students from outside the state or even the country, it has also been popular among local students in the valley looking to fast-track their education.

“Some of these students might be working two jobs, so they can’t fit traditional classes into their schedule,” she says. “With the online program, because of the course delivery and structure, students can take up to two more modules and finish in one year.”

A PLACE TO START Online courses like the ones offered at UTRGV are taking off across the country thanks to improved broadband access. But with so many online options available to students, it can be daunting to figure out which one is the best fit. That’s why the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system contracted with Distance Minnesota to act as a single point of contact for all online students in 2004.

Distance Minnesota was founded as a consortium of three local colleges that wanted to offer online courses.

Today, the organization partners with 37 colleges and universities throughout

the state, answering any questions prospective or current students may have about their online options.

“We do chat, phone assistance and email assistance seven days a week,” says Distance Minnesota Executive Director Lisa Leahy. “In all, we handle approximately 25,000 student inquiries a year.”

But more than acting as a helpline for students, Distance Minnesota compiles data on the programs each school offers and the level of interest in each course.

This makes the organization a resource for schools deciding which classes to offer online and for students looking to fulfill a specific course requirement. That help is particularly important for making online programs accessible to out-of-state or international students.

“Throughout our nearly 20-year history with the school system, we’ve come to understand what each of the individual universities has to offer,” Leahy says.

“Many of us have worked closely with the faculty and the administration on these campuses. So if a student has a specialized need for a certain class, we can tell them the best course is at this school, and often we’re able to put them in touch directly, whether they’re in Argentina, California or New York.”

VIRTUAL HIGH College coursework isn’t the only level at which online programs are giving students more flexibility. Connections Academy, a nationwide program that offers tuition-free online K-12 public schooling in 28 states, launched a new online academy last fall in Tennessee. Since it opened, the academy has grown from about 750 students to 1,300 enrolled.

The Tennessee Connections Academy is authorized by Robertson County Public Schools, though it is available to students throughout the state. The system was already using a virtual curriculum from Connections Academy’s parent company, Pearson, to offer online classes to approximately 50 students. So it was a natural partnership to work together to bring that same experience to students across the state.

“It’s a unique learning environment with certified teachers in all subject areas for the kids,” says Derek Sanborn, principal at Tennessee Connections Academy. “The students are able to interact with their teachers and other kids with live lessons throughout the week. They receive textbooks and other materials at each level, and it’s all at no cost to the parent.”

The online academy is held to the same standards as any public school in the state, and students are required to attend for sixand-a-half hours each day. The program has been a good fit for kids who may be homebound, live in remote areas, or even be on traveling sports teams, allowing students to complete their hours in the evening or on weekends.

“We also have students who may have been bullied in their school or didn’t feel safe. Maybe the traditional setting wasn’t motivating for them,” Sanborn says. “I think giving parents that choice is really important because they get to decide what’s best for their kids.”

NEW ENGAGEMENT Even with the increasing quality of online classes, there are still challenges educators work to overcome, including engaging students.

One way Tennessee Connections Academy attempts to address this issue is by scheduling in-person field trips, allowing families to meet and connect with their teachers and other students.

In her own classes, Zemrani has recorded live classroom sessions and used apps like Flipgrid to allow students to record short intro videos about themselves.

While engagement continues to be a challenge for any online course, she believes finding new solutions is well worth the investment.

“We have students in the military who may be called to serve somewhere in the middle of their program,” Zemrani says.

“The online course is a great opportunity for them to finish their program when they might not otherwise be able to. Broadband is so important to that.” 

March/April 2020 | 11

BROADBAND:

Students in the robotics program at Colleton County Middle School, front, from left, are Niquee Agina, Colt Rease, Brantley Padgett and Khama Wiggins. Back row, from left, are Noah Linder, Kaden Wiggins, Austin Padgett, Sam Kumar, Alexandria Stephens, Ethan Cox and leader Ed Williams.

HELPING YOU LEARN

First in line

ROBOTICS PROGRAM EXPOSES STEM TO LOCAL STUDENTS Story by LISA SAVAGE

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or students like Khama Wiggins, the benefits from the FIRST Lego League robotics program at Colleton County Middle School have been great. “I learned so much, and I learned that we accomplished a lot, even if we didn’t win the state,” the sixth grader says.

Many accolades came rolling in after Colleton County Middle School celebrated its sixth year competing and its sixth year in a row to host a qualifying or regional competition for the FIRST Lego League robotics competition. FIRST, an acronym for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is the world’s leading nonprofit program designed to advance STEM education.

The robotics team competed against 30 other schools in the regional competition at Cane Bay in December and placed second overall in Core Values. “That is a huge accomplishment for these students,” says Ed Williams, overseer of the program. Williams has led the middle school’s FIRST Lego League program since

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2013 and has seen the students’ excitement and knowledge grow.

The program helps students learn to code, program and work with robotics while learning teamwork and professionalism.

“They learn research skills in science and math as part of the STEM curriculum,” Williams says. “They create new, innovative solutions to help shape their future.” Williams’ students participate in the FIRST Lego League for middle-school students ages 9-14. High school students compete in FIRST Robotics, a more advanced competition.

COMPETITION The programs have a world competition, and it’s the group’s goal to reach that stage. Every year, FIRST Lego League releases a challenge based on a real-world scientific topic, encouraging students learning to think like scientists and engineers. Each challenge has three parts, which consists of the robot game, the project and the core values.

PRTC

Teams of up to 10 students with at least two adult coaches participate in the challenge by programming an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing field. They develop a solution to a problem they have identified and allow core values to guide them.

Students work on a robotic design and include other elements like teamwork and conducting research to develop projects that impact their communities. “Our students work as one team,” Williams says.

They build, test and program an autonomous robot using Lego Mindstorms technology to solve a set of missions in the robot game. Throughout the experience, teams operate using the set of core values and celebrate discovery, teamwork and professionalism.

This year, students developed an idea to address the problem of driving drunk. They researched statistics that support the need to address the problem and came up with a plan scientifically to make it all work.

They used STEM elements to create a key that drivers would blow into to determine blood alcohol content. “If it’s too high, the vehicle won’t start,” Williams says.

STUDENT IMPACT Although Williams guided the project, the students did all the work. Noah Linder, an eighth grader, worked on the project and believes the program helps in his future plans to become an engineer or a mathematician. “We came up with a sketch and made a model and had to figure out how it was going to work,” Linder says.

Ed Williams leads the robotics program.

PRTC

Brantley Padgett competed with his FIRST Lego League project.

Exposure to the project helped Linder and others do the research for the data to back up the design. “We are looking for ways to help the world around us,” he says. “It’s about solving the problems that we face.”

Brantley Padgett, a sixth grader, has been involved in the program for three years. He plans to be a coder and computer programmer, and the program provides experience for him. “It’s a good way to create new things and practice the coding,” he says. “I love being a part of this team and learning these things.”

Williams has taught robotics and STEM classes since 2000. “I was teaching STEM before they called it STEM,” he says.

Now, he sees firsthand the impact STEM has on students, describing their work as the cutting edge of technology.

“I am very proud of the teams that advanced. In fact, I am proud of all the teams that we had because they exhibited the core value rule of FLL: gracious professionalism,” Williams says. “This is all designed to get our children ready for the world of work.” 

Khama Wiggins loves participating in the FIRST Lego League at Colleton County Middle School.

-Helping out-

If an individual or business is interested in sponsoring FIRST Lego League robotics or otherwise helping out, please contact Williams at Colleton County Middle School at 843-782-0040, extension 22560.

The programs are taught after school, and Williams says they’re always looking for donations from organizations and volunteers to help out.

“We love to have various industries and businesses donate some funding because these are the kids who will one day work at these places,” Williams says. “These are the kids of their future.”

March/April 2020 | 13

SOUTHERN KITCHENS

Mystery and intrigue

High Point Restaurant chef shares secrets for a great steak

H

igh Point Restaurant opened in January 2000, and Eric Gipson, executive chef, has been there since the second day of business. As a child growing up in Monteagle, Tennessee, he remembers the restaurant when it was a spooky old house — “the kind of rundown, ghost-infested mansion of campfire stories,” he says.

Legend has it that mobster Al Capone financed the 1929 home for his bookkeeper/mistress and used it as a place to stop on his bootlegging travels between Chicago and Miami. This was well before Interstate 24 ran up and over Monteagle Mountain, so its hard-to-reach location made for the ideal hideaway. Supposedly, the floors had a lining of sand to muffle the sound of gunfire, and escape routes aided in getting the illegal hooch to its final destination during the days of Prohibition.

Today, it’s a place for an amazing meal along the road between Nashville and Chattanooga in a beautiful mountaintop location. But can you duplicate the restaurant’s wonderful steak at home?

It’s a familiar scenario: You take the family out to a fancy restaurant and order the steak, and there goes your budget for the week. It’s an amazing steak that sends your taste buds on a trip through culinary heaven — an experience you’re not likely to forget. So, you go home and try to reproduce it, and it’s an expensive disaster.

It’s still less expensive than a night out at your favorite steakhouse, but the flavor is less than memorable.

14 | March/April 2020

Eric Gipson, executive chef of the High Point Restaurant, serves up great steaks and other dishes.

What went wrong? How do restaurants get their steaks so tender, so flavorful, so perfect? Gipson says making a great steak involves several keys. “I think it’s mostly attention to detail and knowledge of how best to prepare what you are given,” he says. “A truly good steak is first and foremost a good piece of meat. Proper seasoning and heat can turn it into something great.”

It all begins at the grocery store, but customers don’t always go for the best.

You may go for the bright red cuts. They look appealing, but they have little fat, and the end result will most likely be a dry, tough piece of meat. Gipson says to look for cuts that are a little paler in color and have fine lines of fat running through

them. “The ones with the faded, almost pink hue are more tender,” he advises.

“That may just be optics, as I also look for a cut that has fine white lines of fat that may make it appear less than red.”

And there’s one more thing. “People I have spoken to have the misconception that putting salt on the outside of a steak will dry it out,” he adds.

Not true.

“When heat is applied, the salt on the outside causes the outer layer to tighten up, creating something of a moisture barrier,” he says. “This traps more of the juice inside, making for a more flavorful steak all around.”

The steaks at High Point are a main feature on the menu. With nine different

options, the most popular are those that feature filet mignon, including filet mignon with Burgundy mushroom sauce, High Point Oscar, Black and Bruised Steak, Steak and Lobster, Steak and Shrimp, and Steak Diane.

And people come from near and far to order them — Chattanooga, Huntsville, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Tullahoma and everywhere in between, Gipson notes.

Tennessee’s partnerships with foreign corporations like Nissan and Volkswagen bring customers from around the world, and the nearby University of the South in Sewanee supplies guests from among its student body and their visiting families.

“We always strive to deliver an excellent meal at a reasonable price point.

Also, our steak seasoning is unique to High Point,” Gipson says. “So the seasoning, combined with fine sauces and compound butters, add to an already excellent cut of meat.”

Gipson says grocery stores have improved on the cuts of meat they offer customers. “Of course, that is dependent on where you shop,” he says. “For years, most grocery stores sold only the cheaper USDA grades of beef or meat that wasn’t graded at all.

“What we serve is USDA Choice,” Gipson says. “That means that it is closer to USDA Prime,” which is only around 2% of all beef sold. “However, all of our meat has been aged a minimum of 21 days, which makes for a more tender, flavorful steak. I’m sure that with the multitude of high-end grocery stores these days, a comparable steak can be found.”

FOOD EDITOR ANNE P. BRALY IS A NATIVE OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

‘Steakhouse’ Steaks

This recipe is adapted from one by Food Network’s Ina Garten.

2 2 1 1 2

(8-ounce) filet mignons tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil tablespoon kosher salt tablespoon freshly ground black pepper tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

Set the steaks out on the counter at least 30 minutes before you plan on cooking them to take the chill off.

Heat the oven to 400 F. Pat the steaks dry and then brush each steak with the oil. Mix the salt and pepper on a plate, then roll each steak in the salt-and-pepper mixture, liberally coating all sides.

Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over high heat — as high as your stove will go. Open your window and turn on your fan. This is a smoky process. Once the skillet is very hot, add the steaks to the pan. Sear them evenly on all sides, getting a nice brown crust all over. It should take about 2 minutes per side to get a good sear.

Remove the pan from heat, place a pat of butter on top of each steak, and then transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake the steaks until their internal temperature reaches your preferred doneness — 120 F for rare, 125 F for medium-rare and 135 F for medium.

Remove the steaks from the skillet and cover them tightly with aluminum foil.

Allow them to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. 

March/April 2020 | 15

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